There is typically an increase in lice cases following Xmas break. UGGH! Why is this? The main reason is that your child may have more exposure to other kids who are infected. The cousins who spend the night can easily bring lice with them. The sleepover at the neighbor’s house can be an exchange of more than just a prettily wrapped Xmas gift. Selfies, snuggling, packing onto the couch for gaming, wrestling, hugging, and overcrowded back seats in the car are all prime ways to spread lice. Essentially the vast majority of cases are spread through head-to-head contact.

How do you prevent this unwanted guest from coming into your home? The easiest way to detect lice and nits is to buy a high-quality nit comb. Either the Terminator or the Lice Meister is great. (found on Amazon). Slather your child’s hair up with conditioner and comb it out. Wipe the comb on a white towel. If you see oval shaped tiny specs, those are most likely nits. Tiny bugs are the lice. Putting girls hair in a bun is a great preventative technique as well. Skip the tea tree shampoo and sprays. They don’t work, as the concentration of tea tree oil would have to be much, much, greater to actually repel or kill lice.